Becoming parents is a life-changing journey—one filled with both heartwarming joys and unexpected challenges. So how can couples prepare themselves to navigate this major transition?

In this episode, we hear from Jason and Mariko, a couple who share their honest reflections on what it takes to stay connected through the ups and downs of early parenthood. Jason believes in the intentional of casual, simple conversations—no matter how busy life gets. Mariko emphasizes the importance of keeping an open mind and truly listening to one another as they grow together.

Tune in to discover how they support each other and stick together as a team through this transformative season of life.

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Increasing loneliness and disconnection, rise of porn addiction and voyeurism, rise of AI companions, and confusion over sexuality and identity — these worrying trends have arisen among married couples and the youth.

Get a grasp of the underlying factors driving such trends, and be equipped with tools to train the hearts and minds of the next generation so they desire what is good, timeless, and true.

Find out more about The Future of Healthy Sexuality Masterclass at www.family.org.sg/healthysexualitymasterclass.

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Sign up here to create an account with Focus on the Family Singapore to access a wide range of marriage and parenting resources designed to nurture and strengthen your family relationships.

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If you have enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcast or Podchaser. It'll be very helpful for others to find our podcast. You can also help us by copying this link www.family.org.sg/connect2podcast to share with your friends.

You can also support us by giving monthly. We appreciate your generous giving as every dollar helps to sustain our efforts in strengthening families. Do note that if you are based in Singapore, one-time gifts above SGD$50 or monthly donations above SGD$10 are eligible for 250% tax-deductible benefits.

“Values and convictions are what will hold the marriage together and sustain the common mission that couple wants to pursue” – Zibin

How does a shared mission deepen your marriage? In this episode, our guests Zibin and Su-Lynn share how serving youth together for over 20 years has strengthened their bond, helped them overcome parenting challenges, and kept their marriage purposeful.

Hear how shared values, volunteering, and intentional couple time have shaped their relationship!

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Be a Family Champion — and Part of Something Bigger!

Join us at our Volunteer Open House and discover how you can make a meaningful impact with Focus on the Family Singapore. Catch the vision that fuels our mission to strengthen families and connect with like-minded changemakers.

Whether you're passionate about mentoring, event support, or simply lending a helping hand — there's a place for you.

Find out more at www.family.org.sg/volunteeropenhouse how you can get involved.

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Looking to build stronger connections in your marriage? Create a free account with Focus on the Family Singapore today and access to a wealth of trusted resources designed to support and strengthen your marriage and parenting journey. We’re here to help you build deeper and stronger family relationships.

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If you have enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcast or Podchaser. It'll be very helpful for others to find our podcast. You can also help us by copying this link www.family.org.sg/connect2podcast to share with your friends.

You can also support us by giving monthly. We appreciate your generous giving as every dollar helps to sustain our efforts in strengthening families. Please note that if you are based in Singapore, as a donor-supported charity with Institution of a Public Character status, all monthly and one-time donations of $50 and above, will qualify for 250% tax deduction.

“Self-awareness helps you to notice when you're running on empty, allowing you to respond with patience rather than frustration. It also enables you to set healthy boundaries.” – Eliza Gan

Tune in to this episode as Eliza continues the conversation with us on the topic of depression. Today, she dives deeper into the wellbeing of the caregiver of someone struggling with depression. She also shared her insights on telltale signs that one might be experiencing burnout or compassion fatigue, and the importance of self-awareness. There is hope for those struggling with depression!

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“I had struggled for many years with depression. It took a toll on my physical and mental health and eventually lead me to seek help through counselling at Focus.”

- Claire (Name has been edited to protect the client’s privacy)

Feeing overwhelmed and need a listening ear to help you feel supported and improve relationships? Make an appointment with a counsellor today. Fees apply.

Find out more www.family.org.sg/counselling.

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If you have enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcast or Podchaser. It'll be very helpful for others to find our podcast. You can also help us by copying this link www.family.org.sg/connect2podcast to share with your friends.

You can also support us by giving monthly. We appreciate your generous giving as every dollar helps to sustain our efforts in strengthening families. Do note that if you are based in Singapore, one-time gifts above SGD$50 or monthly donations above SGD$10 are eligible for 250% tax-deductible benefits.

"I'm here for you or you're not alone in this. You can talk to me when you're ready. This can be powerful to remove the person from a sense of isolation.” – Eliza Gan

Supporting a spouse experiencing depression is challenging. Yet, there is hope.

Tune in to this podcast to hear insights from a professional counsellor as she shares valuable insights on emotional attunement, validation, and practical steps to maintain a healthy relationship with one’s spouse amidst their struggle with depression. With the appropriate mindset, skills, and support, couples can navigate depression together and emerge stronger.

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“I had struggled for many years with depression. It took a toll on my physical and mental health and eventually lead me to seek help through counselling at Focus.”

- Claire (Name has been edited to protect the client’s privacy)

Feeing overwhelmed and need a listening ear to help you feel supported and improve relationships? Make an appointment with a counsellor today. Fees apply.

Find our more www.family.org.sg/counselling.

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If you have enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcast or Podchaser. It'll be very helpful for others to find our podcast. You can also help us by copying this link www.family.org.sg/connect2podcast to share with your friends.

You can also support us by giving monthly. We appreciate your generous giving as every dollar helps to sustain our efforts in strengthening families. Do note that if you are based in Singapore, one-time gifts above SGD$50 or monthly donations above SGD$10 are eligible for 250% tax-deductible benefits.

"Having a community to journey with us also helps us to moderate our expectations of our spouse and our expectations of what a marriage should be, so that we do not become too idealistic or too unrealistic.” - Nam Seng

Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to build a strong and satisfying marriage. Tune in to this episode to hear Nam Seng and Sok Mian share the benefits of journeying together with others and not walking alone in your marriage.

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The early years of marriage are filled with unique challenges and opportunities for growth. With some practical skills and tools, you can be equipped to build a love that lasts.

If you are a newlywed (married for less than 5 years), Just Married is a 3-session hybrid workshop designed for you! Through the hands-on and interactive guidance of husband-and-wife trainers, participants will:

• Learn about the 3 critical skills that can make or break your marriage
• Gain clarity on roles, responsibilities and expectations during these formative years
• Strengthen communication skills to navigate tricky topics like finances, in-laws and parenting
• Gain practical tools to work through differences and conflicts
• Discover ways to keep the romance alive and fireproof your marriage

There will be two weekday online sessions and one onsite session on a Saturday. Find out more details at www.family.org.sg/C2JustMarried.

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Sign up here to create an account with Focus on the Family Singapore to access a wide range of marriage and parenting resources designed to nurture and strengthen your family relationships.

--

If you have enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcast or Podchaser. It'll be very helpful for others to find our podcast. You can also help us by copying this link www.family.org.sg/connect2podcast to share with your friends.

You can also support us by giving monthly. We appreciate your generous giving as every dollar helps to sustain our efforts in strengthening families. Do note that if you are based in Singapore, one-time gifts above SGD$50 or monthly donations above SGD$10 are eligible for 250% tax-deductible benefits.

"I realised that it's not always a 50-50 kind of arrangement with husband and wife in the home. Sometimes the wife may have the capacity to give more, maybe a 70, and then the husband can do 30 if he is in a particularly busy season." – Ailin

Raising kids can bring immense joy but also requires significant time and effort, often challenging a couple's connection.  The challenges of raising five children while maintaining a strong marital relationship are very real for parents with big households.

Tune in to this episode to hear Ailin share her experiences and insights on balancing parenting duties while keeping the emotional connection with her husband alive.

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“I was all ready to quit after seven years of marriage. The endless communication breakdowns, deep-seated misunderstandings, and growing resentment in me has taken its toll.” - Tricia (Name has been edited to protect the client’s privacy)

Feeing overwhelmed and need a listening ear to help you feel supported and improve relationships? Make an appointment with a counsellor today. Fees apply.

Find out more at www.family.org.sg/counselling.

--

If you have enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcast or Podchaser. It'll be very helpful for others to find our podcast. You can also help us by copying this link www.family.org.sg/connect2podcast to share with your friends.

You can also support us by giving monthly. We appreciate your generous giving as every dollar helps to sustain our efforts in strengthening families. Do note that if you are based in Singapore, one-time gifts above SGD$50 or monthly donations above SGD$10 are eligible for 250% tax-deductible benefits.

“Jana’s assurance of enduring love and unwavering faith in me is the strong support and pillar at that time of my life where circumstances were shifting beyond my control.” - Hong Leong

“I have always learnt that my marriage is not based on money, big houses, all the branded stuff. My understanding of marriage is having a good relationship with my husband and my children and having the family together” – Jana

The trust that we can rely on our spouse no matter what happens comes from years of committed, consistent nourishing of one's spouse. Tune in to this episode to hear our guests Hong Leong and Jana share how their strong marriage foundation helped them weather a crisis that could have torn them apart—but didn’t.

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The early years of marriage are filled with unique challenges and opportunities for growth. With some practical skills and tools, you can be equipped to build a love that lasts.

If you are a newlywed (married for less than 5 years), Just Married is a 3-session hybrid workshop designed for you! Through the hands-on and interactive guidance of husband-and-wife trainers, participants will:

• Learn about the 3 critical skills that can make or break your marriage
• Gain clarity on roles, responsibilities and expectations during these formative years
• Strengthen communication skills to navigate tricky topics like finances, in-laws and parenting
• Gain practical tools to work through differences and conflicts
• Discover ways to keep the romance alive and fireproof your marriage

There will be two weekday online sessions and one onsite session on a Saturday. Find out more details at www.family.org.sg/C2JustMarried.

--

If you have enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcast or Podchaser. It'll be very helpful for others to find our podcast. You can also help us by copying this link www.family.org.sg/connect2podcast to share with your friends.

You can also support us by giving monthly. We appreciate your generous giving as every dollar helps to sustain our efforts in strengthening families. Do note that if you are based in Singapore, one-time gifts above SGD$50 or monthly donations above SGD$10 are eligible for 250% tax-deductible benefits.

“With friendship at the bottom that provides the most stable layer of any relationship and marriage itself.” - Andrea

Friendship is a great foundation for a marriage! Where two people are good friends it really helps them to bond over more than just the logistics, but the deeper things of shared interests, emotions, fun, and laughter. Tune in for this episode as we hear from a newly wedded couple how they prioritise deepening their friendship with each other, to build a strong foundation for their budding marriage!

Note: to get your hand on the mentioned free feelings wheel mentioned in this episode, head over to https://www.connectioncodes.co/wheel.

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The early years of marriage are filled with unique challenges and opportunities for growth. With some practical skills and tools, you can be equipped to build a love that lasts.

If you are a newlywed (married for less than 5 years), Just Married is a 3-session hybrid workshop designed for you! Through the hands-on and interactive guidance of husband-and-wife trainers, participants will:

• Learn about the 3 critical skills that can make or break your marriage
• Gain clarity on roles, responsibilities and expectations during these formative years
• Strengthen communication skills to navigate tricky topics like finances, in-laws and parenting
• Gain practical tools to work through differences and conflicts
• Discover ways to keep the romance alive and fireproof your marriage

There will be two weekday online sessions and one onsite session on a Saturday. Find out more details at www.family.org.sg/C2JustMarried.

--

If you have enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcast or Podchaser. It'll be very helpful for others to find our podcast. You can also help us by copying this link www.family.org.sg/connect2podcast to share with your friends.

You can also support us by giving monthly. We appreciate your generous giving as every dollar helps to sustain our efforts in strengthening families. Do note that if you are based in Singapore, one-time gifts above SGD$50 or monthly donations above SGD$10 are eligible for 250% tax-deductible benefits.